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How do you determine that a company is trustworthy?

Trust is a key element of any partnership. It seems like a new business pops up on the Internet every other hour. Which are legitimate and which aren’t? It’s difficult to trust our instincts when every webpage is nearly identical.

 These are a few tips I’ve developed to separate the trustworthy companies from the untrustworthy.

Before embarking upon any type of business relationship, you should always inform yourself about the character and history of your partner. Do your research. When you search their name on the Internet, what comes up? Try typing in “lawsuit” and “complaint”, followed by the name of the company or individual. If something negative does surface, you can at the least read about it and make yourself aware. Also, rely on references. A personal recommendation really can’t be beat. And of course, have whoever it is you’re working with sign a non-disclosure agreement.

But as far as exploring the Internet goes, a few things have tipped me off recently about the potential fakeness of a company. First, is a picture of the CEO or an employee posted anywhere on the site? When I don’t see a picture of anyone, I’m turned off. Is this a real company with real, live employees? Just the other day, I was looking at a page that featured a handsome young man as a company employee — only to discover that the same image was being used on a completely different site! Apparently the use of stock photos is becoming more common. Are you being sold on image alone? Where’s the personal? Can I easily find the company’s phone number on their webpage? When I call it, am I put in touch with a human being?

Sometimes I feel like asking, “Is there anyone there?!”

If the company immediately asks me for my e-mail and mailing address, there’s another sign. Really though — I’m trying to find a pulse when I investigate a website. Who is running this? What is their agenda? I want to work with someone that is going to answer the phone and be there for me.